Setting up 2 Raymarine C80s on the same system

[wizzer]

I have two C80s currently on my system, the idea was to have one dedicated to radar and able to show radar overlay on the chart (each C80 gas its own chart card inserted), the second display was to be the chartplotter and fish finder. Both are integrated with Vesper XB8000 AIS transponder.
Firstly, can anyone confirm that this setup is practically doable with two C80s?
If it's not possible, then I may look to find a C120 (or E120) and then sell the two C80s

 

[superheat6k]

I have a C120 which will not connect with other screens to share the plot, but having two listeners on one talker should be OK. They also need an external GPS source and only have one NMEA port which must be set to high speed for AIS.

I am using a Matsutec AIS Transceiver HP-628A and that is providing both the GPS and AIS data on the same port. When I installed the Matsutec I was concerned I would not see the GPS as well as the AIS but it has worked just fine.

The only concern I would have is the fish finder data input will require a separate talker and this would likely require a (not cheap) multiplexer to prevent the NMEA0183 signals over talking each other. I am off the edge of my pitch as far as these devices are concerned.

However, if you have a Raymarine data source via Seatalk that might work, but others would have to confirm this.

 

[CLB]

C sets are not networkable (you need E series for that) but it sounds ok as long as you not ever want radar on one particular display and have a separate chart cartridge in each.

 

[David435]

I have a C120 as a chartplotter, a C80 for radar/fishfinder at the lower helm and a C70 on the flybridge. All these are linked through seatalk1 so all information appears on each unit and requires only one GPS imput. I also have a VHF with an internal AIS receiver that is linked into the system by a multiplexer that transmits to the C120. I have cards in each plotter which enables me to set up the linked autopilot from any one of the 3 chartplotters, but as they are standalone, then any course corrections can only be done from the original chartplotter that the course was set up on. There are also depth, speed and bearing instruments at the lower helm and repeated on the flybridge. I would love to have the whole system networked by replacing with E or W chartplotters but the cost of changing chartplotters and the wiring involved appears excessive to satisfy a whim when the system works perfectly.

 

[wizzer]

Thanks for the replies
I'm still confused with this
Basically it all seemed to be working happily when I launched the boat a couple of weeks ago, then I started getting "position lost" alarms on both screens, so I suspected the 12 year old Raystar 120 had packed up (internal battery?), so, I've sourced, but net yet fitted a Raystar 130 & a Seatalk to Seatalkng converter. Since disconnecting the second C80, which appeared to be playing up (black screen / reboot) & using the first C80 for chart, radar & sounder; seems much more stable with only one "position lost" alarm over a period of say an hour?